Trip report and a wedding

[Jenn]

Back to the hotel, we went to search for the 13 year old who was hanging out with my cousin and her husband and our daughter and soon to be son in law. Found them on the beach. Quick change into our suits, a cold drink from the bar and we were good to go. Now, in preparing for this trip (our 13 year old's first) there were lots of things we wanted him to be ready for and able to handle. Topless women, the availability of ganja, hanging out with mostly all adults.... Let me say, you can't really prepare your 13 year old son for topless women. He would mostly just blush and doubt us. Well...first day on the beach = first eyeful for him. haha There were many Europeans at the RPTB, and therefore, many a topless woman. We happened to be out in the water swimming as a couple of topless women walked towards the water. I thought he would die. He blushed and blushed. He and I had a brief chat about "not staring" and just ignore it if it makes you uncomfortable, they have a right to do as they please. This was met with lots of giggles and it seemed that was the end of it. Throughout the rest of the trip, I'm not sure I heard another word from him about it.

As for the other? Never once was he approached or asked about it. As a matter of fact, we were walking down the beach and someone called out to ask my husband if he needed any smoke, but saw our son with us. He very respectfully apologized profusely saying he did not see our son. No problem and we walked on.

Anyhow, today our first newbies arrive. Yeah! They are bringing their two teenage daughters as well. Dry off from swimming, and off we go to meet them. They get checked in and join us on the beach. Lunch at the jerk shack (pretty yummy) and then back up to meet two more newbies and my sister in law. Our son is rooming with his aunt for the rest of the week. Everyone is settled and meets back at the pool. Most of the week, the only part of my son I saw was his head. Up to his shoulders in the ocean...up to his shoulders in the pool...always swimming. He is a fish!

Everyone heads back to their rooms to get settled a bit, showered and ready for dinner. We all meet up at the lobby bar and listen to piano man. He is soooo good. I could have sat and listened to him for hours! However, everyone was getting hungry ~ so off to dinner. We all ate together at the buffet. Not too much Jamaican food, but dear God there were lots of choices! So much food, but I'll get to that later in the report. After dinner ~ we headed over to the show and enjoyed many a cocktail. Afterwards, off to bed. I always wonder why I can't sleep in when I'm in Jamaica. It seems like I'm up by 5:30 every day....but perhaps that is because I am in bed by 10:30?!

The next day was more of the same...floating in the ocean, greeting more family arriving, Red Stripes, frozen drinks, and music on the beach. We talked about taking a sunset cruise, the girls went parasailing, but for most of us...sand gravity just held us in place. In the morning we had to meet with Ann Marie (the wedding planner) and take care of wedding business. Once that was done, I began to relax.